Fire-escape.



No. 688,726. Patented Dec. Il), |901. W. FOREMAN.

FIRE EscAPE.

(Application led Mu. 80, 1901.) (No Model.)

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UNITED rares nini* Fries.

WILLIAM FOREMAN, OFA TAYLORSTOVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO G. R. CONGER, OF TAYLORSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,726, dated December 10, 1901.

Application filed March 30, 1901.

Serial No. 53.635. (No model.)

`the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fire-escapes, and relates particularly to a nre-escape in which the person operates a cord or cable to lower himself or herself to the ground where other means of escape is vcut off or impossible.

Brieiiy described, my invention comprises a receptacle or basket to hold the person, this receptacle being connected to one end of a rope which is passed over a pulley suitably arranged above the window, (inside the room,) the said cord or cable passing over a spool which is journaled in a bracket carried by the receptacle. The cord or cable is passed through the bracket, and a suitable casing is provided within the receptacle to contain the uncoiled rope to prevent the same interfering in any manner with the manipulating of the device by the operator. All of this construction in detail, together with other features entering into my invention, will be hereinafter more specifically described and then particularly pointed out in the claim, and in describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, and wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for designating like parts throughout the` dierent views of the drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation of my improved tire-escape, showing manner of operating the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view with the receptacle partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the spool and its supportingbracket.

To put my invention into practice, I provide a receptacle to hold the person in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This receptacle lin the form herein shown is prac.

tically in the form of a pair of trousers with a front extension 2, which forms a shield to protect the occupant of the receptacle from the flames which may issue from the windows past which the occupant is lowered, and should the receptacle be reversed from that shown in Fig. l, so that the occupants back would be toward the building, this extension forms a blind to prevent the occupant from determining the height at which he or she may be suspended. To this extension 2 is connected one end of a ropeor cable d, which is carried over a pulley 4,- suitably arranged abovethe window, (inside the room,) as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The receptacle for the person has secured therein a bracket A 5, in which is journaled a roller or spool'. The base-plate of this bracket carries an apertured lug or ear 7, and one of the ends carries an inwardly extending apertured lug or ear 8, the cord or cable being passed through the lug or ear 8, wrapped two or three times around the spool, and then passed through the lug or ear 7, the uncoiled part of the cord, rope, or cable being supported Within a suitable casing 9, carried by the recep= `tacle l. The bracket 5 is secured within the casingby riveting its one end to the receptacle 1, and is further supported by a brace 10, riveted to the receptacle and to the base= plate of the bracket 5.

The rope or cable is wound on the spool sev= eral times and this spool held against rota= tion by a ratchet-wheel ll and pawl l2, as shown in the drawings, so that the friction of the rope upon the spool will materially check the descent and enable the operator to retain control of the device.

In operation the operator places himself or herself within the receptacle, this receptacle being of the form shown, so as to permit the operator to climb out of the window in order to be lowered to the ground. The operator grasps the rope or cable below the bracket and feeds said rope or cable to the spool, the wrapping of the rope or cable upon the spool preventing undue speed being attained and enabling the operator to readily control the descent.

It will be observed that in the practice of the invention various changes could be made in the details of construction without depart-= vto ing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, whatV I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fire-escape, a receptacle having an integral upwardly-extending shield, a substantially U-shaped bracket having one end thereof secured Within the receptacle, an apertured lug made integral with the bottom of said bracket, an apertured lug made integral With the free end of said bracket, said lug being bent over to lie parallel With the bottom of the said bracket, a spool secured Within suitable bearings in the said bracket, a ratchet secured to one end thereof, a pawl secured to the bracket, in combination with a pulley secured to .the upper portion of the Windowframe, a rope passing over said pulley and having one end secured to said shield, the free end of said rope passing through the said lug on one end of the bracket, around the spool several times and through the said `lug on the bottom of the bracket and held in a suitable casing carried by the said receptacle,y substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my'signature' in the presence of two witnesses.

\ WILLIAM FOREMAN.

Witnesses: 1

JOHN NOLAND, A. M. WILSON. 

